Wing Return
by RethinkMiniTots
Summary: A sequel to Mari's Little Lamb, picking up over a year where it left off. Lexi has been working with the angels in search of God, Mari has been living a comfortable life in amnesia, and the boys have been expanding the Men of Letters to include fallen angels in an attempt to stop Abbadon from wrecking havoc.
1. Small Author's Note

Dear Readers,

First off thank you so much for reading! Both this on coming work and Mari's Little Lamb (to which this is the sequel). Currently I have not finished editing MLL (edited ch are marked with an E), but since I've got the idea for the start of this project I wanted to at least write a few chapters while I'm stuck with MLL edits. I have/will make some major changes to MLL, so if you don't want to re-read the edited chapters or I still haven't finished editing by the time you read this, here is a list of changes:

I have changed Lucy's name to Alexis, mostly shortened to Lexi. I did this solely because we (the fandom) call Lucifer Luci and I didn't want there to be any confusion

The ending has altered slightly. Mari, instead of waking up a few hours after the whole ordeal, stays in a coma for two months (during which the boys got her the protection tattoo). When she finally woke up the boys discover she has amnesia, not aware of anything after leaving for the grocery store she was attacked in. Since Lexi had left with the angels, the boys decided to tell her that she had been kidnapped and tortured by a cult and pretend she is now in witness protection. They do this in hopes that she can go back to her normal life.

Those are the only major changes so far. I will however update this list as needed, so please bear with me.

Thanks again for reading! I appreciate every visitor/favorite/follow/review!

RethinkMiniTots

Kristin


	2. The Way Things Are

"Hey Mari, that show you like is on!" Adam called from the living room. Mari followed his voice, carrying two bowls of mint chocolate chip ice cream. Once in the living room, she plopped down beside him on the couch and handed him his bowl.

"Which one?" Mari asked, curling her feet up and leaning into Adam's shoulder. It had been almost a year since she woke from her coma and not once had she an inkling of what she had forgotten. The two men who handled her case for witness protection called her every other month to make sure she was ok, but other than that there were no remnants of her old life. She had moved to Seattle and found a job with an illustrating company and almost right after that she met Adam. It took no more than three months for them to move in together.

Mari looked a lot healthier than a year ago. Simple things, like the absence of bags under her eyes or the nice shin in her hair made all the difference. She smiled and had a more innocent way about her. Though she had on Adam's t-shirt with yoga pants, she still looked better.

"That Say Yes to the Dress show."

"Sweet."

Whenever Mari looked up to Adam, she couldn't help but smile. Though the deaths of all her family and friends never felt real to her, it still weighed her down and Adam was the one to bring her back up. He was the only one to know Mari's actual identity, as far as she knew, and that gave them an almost unbreakable bond.

"I still don't understand why you love this show so much," Adam joked.

"I just like the dresses. The designs for some of them are amazing."

"Even that one," Adam said pointing his ice cream covered spoon at the TV where a woman was showing off an unfortunate dress.

"I did say some. That one, however, should be thrown in a shredder," Mari said and they shared a small laugh. That was how their nights normally went. Small banter and TV. Mari didn't know why exactly, but she enjoyed the simplicity of it. Having no worries suited her well.


	3. Reunion

With their TV shows over and work coming in the morning, Adam and Mari were starting in on their bed time routine. Since it was Wednesday Mari had gathered all the trash and made her way outside. It was peaceful out, crickets chirping and the summer air still burning. They had rented the small little house only with the agreement that Adam would take care of the lawn. It was a two story, cream colored house and mirrored the rest on the street.

The trash cans were already set at the end of the driveway and as Mari made her way down there she noticed someone standing by her mailbox. Since her car and Adam's blocked Mari from the sight of the stranger, Mari was able to get close without them noticing.

"Is there something I can help you with?" Mari asked, trying to give the stranger the benefit of the doubt. The girl looked up for a split second, but bowed her head quickly before Mari could really register her face. She was about as tall as Mari and similar in almost all physical aspect except for five years difference and her hair was curlier than Mari's.

"This got put in my mailbox by mistake. I was just returning it," the girl said handing over the envelope Mari recognized as the one she got every month from the guys at witness protection. Mari threw the garbage in the cans on the opposite side of the driveway and went over to grab the letter. While handing over the letter the girl took a daring look up and caught Mari's eyes. With a full look at her face Mari instantly recognized her child.

"Lexi, oh my God," Mari whispered and wrapped her into a hug. Tears started streaming from both their eyes while memories flooded back to Mari and her vision returned so she could see Lexi's slight glow.

"Oh Lexi. I'm so so so sorry. Please forgive me. Amnesia or no, nothing excuses me from just abandoning you."

"Mom no. You didn't abandon me. I left before you even woke up with amnesia and when Uncle Sam and Dean told me I was the one that didn't want to come back to help you regain your memories. This was how your life was supposed to end up if I hadn't interfered."

"Stop right. You are not an interference. If you say anything like that again I'll...I'll...I'll ground you," Mari said sternly, stepping back to look at Lexi.

"Mom I'm 18. And what exactly are you gonna ground me from? Saving the angels? Because that's pretty much all I do."

"Don't sass your mother. I just want you to know that I don't regret regaining my memories and there's nothing you can or should blame yourself for."

"How am I supposed to be a rebellious teenager if you're always so open and accepting and nonjudgmental?"

"You don't have time to be an anxious teen, too busy saving the world remember?" Mari said with a small smile and tears still in her eyes. They hugged again and then Mari led them back up to the house.

"Did you drive here? Are you alone?" Mari asked.

"Yes and yes. My cars just around the corner."

"Good you can spend the night here. I'll just tell Adam that your my lost sister, though you're actually older than she would be now," Mari said, her smile dropping just for a millisecond.

"Sounds good. I've been wanting to meet him for a while now."

"Exactly how long have you been checking up on me?"

"Probably 7 or 8 months now," Lexi admitted while Mari opened the door.

"Hey Adam, where are ya?" Mari yelled once they got inside.

"Still doing the dishes. What's up?"

Mari motioned for Lexi to stay in the living room while she went over to the kitchen. As soon as she got to the doorway she saw what she had been missing. With the return of her memory came the return of God's gifted vision. Adams soul was twisted and raw, similar to Sam and Dean's except Adam's was worse and had not healed. And just like how Mari could see the angel's vessel's soul under the angel, she could see torn wings on Adam's back. Mari had seen an angel with wings and even more with wings burnt off, but none were ripped like the one's on Adam's back. Between the shape of his soul and the mutilated wings, Mari could barely keep herself standing. The ugly demon faces were nothing to this twisted figure.

Mari quietly went back to the living room and collected herself. Deep breaths. They were the only thing that could hold her together. The oxygen filling her lungs created a constant that she was beginning to lose.

"Go. I'll meet you up at the 7 11 in 10 minutes max," Mari whispered to Lexi. She stared at her mother with uncertainty but nodded and followed her instructions. With Lexi gone, Mari made her way back to the kitchen door.

"Do you remember Alice?"

"The one from the art studio?" Adam said turning to face her.

"Yea. She just broke up with her boyfriend and really needs a girls night. So I'm gonna grab a bag and go to her place," Mari said, trying to hold herself together.

"Ok. Is everything alright? You look a little pale," Adam commented, finishing the dishes and drying his hands.

"Yea. This guy was just a huge douche, I never really liked him. Apparently he was going to attack her when they broke up and it's just a bunch of craziness. I'm just gonna pack quick, I feel bad that she's all alone," Mari said and then left for their room upstairs. She quickly grabbed the same bag she had used to escape her last house and crammed it with the essentials. At least this time she had a little money in the bank so that she could buy more clothes. She took a second to look at her reflection in the dresser mirror. She didn't know when she started crying, but she couldn't stop. Looking down at her shirt, she tugged at it before deciding to keep it on.

Going through the drawers to look for her hidden box of emergency cash and ids and a phone she had been instructed not to use in her amnesia state, she opened the wrong drawer. There smother in Adam's boxers was a little box. Despite her better judgement, Mari stuffed it in her bag and rushed downstairs just as Adam was coming up.

"God you must really hate this guy. I don't think I've ever heard you call anyone a douche before. Wait your crying. Was their fight that bad? Do you want me to drive you?" Adam asked, his concern rising.

"No, I'm fine. It's just...I just started my period, so I'm acting ten times worse than it really is. I'll...ummm...I'll see you later, ok?" Mari said but before she could slip past him, he kissed the top of her head. Normally she loved the gesture, but this time it made her cringe and she had to force herself to return his kiss on the cheek.

Without anymore words she ran out the door and into her car. She didn't look back, but the image was burned into her mind and more than her year raising Lexi, she wanted to forget everything about Adam.


	4. Phone Call

"Mom, what's wrong?" Lexi asked as soon as Mari pulled up to the 7 11 and got out.

"Where are Sam and Dean?"

"I don't know. I haven't talked to them in a few months."

"They just let you go off on your own? For God's sake, you're barely 2 and they've let you run around doing God knows what."

"I'm not 2. And it's not like I was alone. I'm with the angels mostly."

"Doesn't make me feel better. Give me a second and I'll call them," Mari said. Her emotions were coming to a boiling point, too much had happened in too short a time. She took out her old phone and scrolled down to find Dean's number.

"Mari, is that really you?" Dean's voice said through the phone.

"Yes Mr. Winchester, I'm sorry to bother you so late but I think I might have remembered something that could help you catch the occultist. I know you said I should only use this phone for emergency cases, but I dropped the box and the phone fell out. That's when the memory was triggered," Mari went on, doing her best to recreate the person she was only an hour ago.

"Oh. Well...yes ma'am. Just go ahead and tell me what you remember," Dean said, his voice rough.

"I remembered how fucking horrible you are, but we can save that for later. I'll even make a list. Now where are you, I'm coming there immediately," Mari said, dropping the act. It was starting to get to her how different she was with her memories.

"Crap. What made you remember?"

"Lexi's here. Go figure seeing my daughter for the first time would jog my memory. Location?"

"We're in this city called Tigard in Oregon hunting a crossroads demon."

"Convenient enough. Text me whatever crappy motel you're staying at and I'll be there in a few hours," Mari said, hanging up before Dean could argue.

"It's about a three, four hour drive south. It's not too far from Portland so I sort of know the way. Do you wanna just follow me?" Mari asked as she started to her car and opened the door.

"Mom," Lexi said hesitantly. Mari recognized the voice, it was the same one she used whenever she knew better than her mom.

"You've got to go back to the angels, don't you?"

"Yea. I'm sorry. I really want to spend more time with you, but we're on this hunt for God and I keep interrupting it to check in on you."

"Hunt for God? Is that something you need to do to get their wings back? You know what, you can just tell me later. I want a text every day and a call at least once a week, understand?" Lexi nodded and went over to hug her mother. They let go with sad smiles and went their separate way, though Mari stayed behind to collect her thoughts for a while longer.


	5. Realizations

Mari knocked on the door of the cheap motel and waited. She was still in her pajamas but seeing as Sam and Dean had truly seen her at her worst, she didn't care except for the fact that she was still in Adams shirt.

It was Sam that opened the door, and despite how angry she was, Mari couldn't help but smile when he took her in for a hug. She had missed him and Dean, even if she didn't remember them. They were her saviors, though they didn't agree on a lot of things.

"It's good to see you Mari," Sam said, letting go and leading her inside. It was a typical hotel room and Dean sat on the furthest bed playing with his gun.

"Mari. We're glad you're back," Dean said as he got up and walked over to give Mari a short hug.

"I'm almost glad to see you guys too."

"Oh really? I thought you had a list of reasons to yell at us for," Dean said, taking back his spot on the bed.

"Oh I do. But this late at night it'd be unfair to anyone else in this dump. So which one of you dumbasses decided it'd be a good idea to let me abandon my daughter?"

"Sam," Dean said, pointing accusingly.

"You deserve a normal life," Sam said.

"Whatever, I'm too tired for this shit. Where's Cas?" Mari asked through a yawn.

"Getting burgers. Why?" Dean said.

"I have an angel question. Did you really let him drive the impala?" Mari asked, getting a chuckle from Sam.

"Hell no, it's just across the street," Dean answered.

"So what's the sitch here?"

"There's a crossroads demon collecting early," Dean answered.

"Ugh, that involves those Hell dogs, right? I'll stay out of your way then, I hear they aren't too pretty," Mari said, collapsing on the empty bed.

"Hellhounds and that's probably for the best," Sam said.

"I'll go meet Cas and then get my own room," Mari said, reluctantly getting back.

"Hey, Mari. Do you wanna talk?" Sam asked.

"If I'm gonna yell at you, there's something I need to fact check first," Mari said as she left. She made her way to the McDonald's across the street and ran into Cas in the parking lot. He tilted his head in confusion before approaching.

"Hello," he said stiffly.

"Hey Cas."

"Ah, so you've regained your memory. Are you joining us on the hunt? I believe that Abbadon is more preoccupied with chasing Lexi and has loosened her charge over the demons."

"No, I'm gonna stick this one out. I've seen enough hellhounds for a lifetime. I do have a question though."

"I will answer as best you can. Is it safe to assume it deals with angels considering you did not ask the Winchesters?"

"Yea. God gave me vision to protect me, which I get, but because of that I can see angels glow like a bright blurred shadow. When I look at Abigails back I can see burn scars where her wings were. When I look at your wing I see the shadow of where they should be, presumably because you didn't fall but lost your grace then fell."

"That would be correct."

"So has there ever been an angel whose wings have been ripped off?" Mari asked hesitantly, afraid for the answer.

"The only possibility I can think of is Lucifer. But that's impossible because he is still locked in the cage."

"But the cage was only meant to hold a fallen angel, not two."

"Did you see him? If so we need to tell Sam and Dean and the rest of the angels right away."

"He's not possessing his vessel. It's like he's just going along for the ride waiting for the right time."

"Who is his vessel?"

"Adam. You go ahead and give the big news to the Winchesters and pass it down the grapevine, I'm gonna get a room," Mari said before walking to her car and getting in. She scrounged through her bag and pulled out the small box. Opening she saw exactly what she expected, a small wedding ring. If he had proposed a day before she would have said yes, she would have said yes even if she had her memories but couldn't see. Tossing the ring angrily to the back, she laid her head on the wheel and cried herself to sleep.


	6. Adam Winchester

"She's figured it out," Lucifer said, standing in the corner of Adam and Mari's bedroom.

"You're not real," Adam muttered to himself, shutting his and placing a pillow over his head.

"Right, I'm just a figment of your imagination. Well you're right on some level, the me you're seeing now isn't really here. But I am in you, in the least awkward way possible," Lucifer said, making a crinkled face when he realized the double meaning of his words. Adam didn't move, thinking that maybe if he didn't say, didn't think anything Lucifer would leave.

"That's not going to work," Lucifer sang. Adam sat up and through the pillow at Lucifer, who simple phased through it.

"I wish you'd listen to me. It really hurts my feelings when you throw things at me. But at least you're giving me some attention now, unlike when that girl was around."

"Don't talk about her," Adam growled.

"Still upset she left you? Or were we ignoring that fact."

"She went to a friend's."

"Oh right, because it's totally normal for a woman to cry non stop just because a friend went through a bad breakup."

"She's on her period."

"Really? You're gonna fall for that one. You two have been dating for what? Ten months and you haven't noticed that she's never been on her period? God, just like a man to not pay attention."

Adam thought about it for a second and before he realized Lucifer was right.

"Well what do you want me to do about it?" Adam demanded.

"Nothing just yet. We still need to bide some time. We can reboot the apocalypse later. Don't you want to go find your lady? Things were getting pretty serious between you two. I was there when you bought the ring. If you had only proposed yesterday."

"Shut. Up."

"Oh c'mon. Don't be like that. After all I'm the one who told you where to find the girl of your dreams. You know what, I bet it was your soul that scare her away. You can't see it, but if she got her memory back she sure as hell can. It's very twisted and burnt, like your brothers. Although neither of them spent nearly as much time in Hell as you did. So your burns are worse, a lot worse. But maybe she'll learn to overlook that."

Adam was silent, marinating in the hate that Lucifer relit.

"I bet she ran away with them. Poor Adam. Not your father's favorite and not even your girl's favorite."

Adam laid back down, taking another pillow to drown out Lucifer. But there was no way to hide from the voice inside his head.


	7. Brotherly Love

Dean tapped on the window of Mari's car, startling her awak. After a second of confusion about not waking up in her bed next to Adam, Mari wiped her face of dried tears and opened the door and moved to sit facing Dean.

"Cas told us you saw Adam possessed by Lucifer," Dean said. Mari looked down at her hands in her lap, not wanting to see the pity in his eyes.

"He's not really possessed, more like Luci's riding shotgun."

"Why did you spend the night crying your car?"

"Because I woke up from a dream and realized my life sucks and demons are real."

"Yea but even when you first found that out you didn't cry. Really out of all the people I've seen learn the truth, you had the most level head. As freaked out as you were trapped in your house, you didn't quit. Now tell me what's wrong."

"You know I figured I was gonna have to tell you eventually, but you're acting all serious now and I just want to treat it as a joke, just another prank the world played on me."

"Alright, I'll joke about it if that's what you want." Mari laughed to herself, still not looking up to Dean.

"I lost my virginity to fucking Lucifer," Mari laughed out.

"Don't you mean by fucking Lucifer," Dean corrected.

"Thanks," Mari said after a small bout of chuckles.

"So...you and Adam were close, huh?" Dean asked awkwardly blowing up his cheek and then letting the air out.

"Yea you could say that. In a few months I would have been your sister-in-law," Mari said, tossing the box she had been holding to him.

"Oh...ok...yea no, you're gonna have talk to Sammy on this one," Dean said after he opened the box.

"I know you're not one for all the ooey gooey emotions. I'll be fine, I just needed the night to get over things," Mari said, getting up and closing her car door. When she turned back to face Dean, he engulfed her in a tight hug.

"Sometimes it takes more than a night," Dean said letting Mari sniffle in his arms a little before pulling away.

"Alright, we'll go in and tell Sam and Cas and treat as a joke. Plan?" Mari nodded and walked over to their room with him. Cas was playing with the tv when they walked in while Sam was doing research.

"So here's the recap for everybody. Lucifer is hopping a ride in Adam but isn't in the driver's seat. In the meantime Adam woed our girl here to the big number and once she got her memory back, vision included, she saw his baggage and came to us. That good Mari?"

"Couldn't have said it better myself," Mari said with a smile. Sam looked between the two, clearly not approving of his brother's behavior.

"Thanks for the recap, but you could have been a little more sensitive."

"I'll keep that in mind," Dean said, sitting on the bed, popping open a beer, and giving Mari a secretive wink.

"What do you mean by big number?" Cas asked, not looking away from them.

"Uh...Adam and I had sex," Mari said, still finding it weird to explain colloquialisms despite having been around Abigail for so long.

"Oh. That is...weird."


	8. Phone Calls from Hell

"So when are you going back home?" Lexi asked over the phone. Sam, Dean, and Cas had gone out to stop the demon and let Mari stay back. She was about to head off to the bat cave, but wanted to call Lexi before she left.

"I'm going back to base soon, just got a few loose ends to time up before I leave."

"You're going back there? What about Adam?"

"Yea I'm going back there, I've lived there much longer than I did than that house. It's where I raised you. It's my home."

"So? Just because you have your memory back doesn't mean you have to go back to that old life. I'm not there to hold you back anymore so you can go live with Adam and be happy," Lexi said, talking quicker as she came to the conclusion that she had ruined her mother's chance at happiness.

"Honey that's not possible," Mari sighed, not willing to add Adam and Lucifer to Lexi's list of worries.

"I should have never let you see me."

"Alexis Howard, you take that back. "

"No. You love Adam, I know it because I know you. But you're gonna leave him because you feel like you have to take care of me, but that's not the case."

"Lexi, as much as I love him, I regret abandoning you more. I know I didn't do it on purpose, but that doesn't excuses the fact that at least a part of me wanted to. Now I may not be all that much help but I'm going to be here for you."

"Mom, I love you, but that's stupid," Lexi said and then hung up.

Mari sighed and tossed her phone into the cup holder. There was no way for her to clearly explain things to Lexi without complicating things. There were too many unknowns. What Lucifer's plans were? Is he after Lexi? Will he keep them from reopening heaven? Is he as weak as the other angels?

Her phone from her normal life rang again. She had turned it back on in hopes calling her boss in order to quit but after seeing how many time Adam had called, she couldn't handle the phone. It was Adam's ringtone that filled her car and her lungs, suffocating her. She answered the phone though.

"Mari? Where've you been?" Adam said, but Mari couldn't answer.

"Mari? Are you alright?...your friend's ex didn't come by and cause trouble, right?"

"Adam," Mari choked out.

"Oh thank God. I've been so worried."

"Adam I know," she said meekly.

"Know about what?"

"...the ring. I...I can't marry you." she lied.

"Oh come now, don't lie to the poor boy. He's been a mess all day, didn't even make it to work," Lucifer said, finally taking charge of Adam's body. His tone was so different from Adam's that Mari could tell right away and was on edge.

"Let him go," she growled.

"Can't do that sweetheart, he's a true vessel and they're rare these days. Now what you need to do is face facts here with Adam. You guys will never have a healthy relationship if you keep hiding things from each other."

"Like you care!"

"Oh but I do, really and truly. I was excited for his proposal, watching him fret over how to do it was precious."

"You do know that we have the angel tablet?"

"So?" Lucifer laughed.

"Well I figure if that little tablet could kick out all the angels and take their wings, it can sure as hell tell me how to unpossess a vessel."

"I see you've still got a little fight left in you, that's my bad."

"But Adam back," Mari growled.

"Or what?"

"Or I'll give the Winchesters your exact location. And you know what they're capable of right? I bet they've gotten worse since you last saw them too. Oh and you know what, there are a few angels I know who would like to know where you are too. They're just a phone call away too. It's up to you," Mari said, her threats responded by a discontented huff and the ringing of a hung up phone.


End file.
